My UltraList Bio

Occupation: Research Scientist
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 135
Birthplace: Russia
Date of birth: 10/9/69

Years running: 5.5 (May 13, 2001 - first 5k)
Years running ultras: 3.5 (March 13 2003 - first 50k)

PRs: road 50k - 4:47, trail 50k - 5:08, road 50M - 8:17, trail 50M - 9:49 (Masochist), Umstead 100M - 18:46, WS100 - 23:14
For the bloggers: 1M - 6:20 indoor track, 5k on roads - 22:32, 5k on trails - 22:08, 10k on roads - 46:46, 10k on trails (after a 20 mile training run) - 46:22, 15k - 1:18, 20k - 1:40, half-marathon - 1:43, marathon - 3:45 (between-ultras, but after first all of them were like that:)), Escarpment 30k god-damn trail run that got me started on trails (in Upstate NY) - 4:31, over 50 various short races - and it was a l-o-n-g time ago

Shoes I run in: Montrail Odyssey, Brooks Cascadia

Favorite running surface: trails on PNW

Some ultras I have completed: 40 total (plus 16 marathons), 8x100M, 2x100km, a bunch of other trail runs

Ultra achievement I am most proud of: first 100M at Umstead in 2004, WS100 in 2005, SD100 in 2005, Zane Grey in 2006. forgot to mention Miwok 100k in 2005

Ultra I haven't done but really want to: AC100, Bighorn 100, CCC100, Waldo 100km, and many 50 milers

Typical training week: in training - 80-90M/week, 2 long runs, 2 double/days, 1 medium run, x-train with spin class and weights, yoga is great addition too, I just need to find an extra few hours a day:)

Injury history: anything in the book - not that I should be proud of it.

Favorite ultra foods: Carbo-Pro, E-Crank gels, soup at night
Favorite ultra beverages: ice water tastes good

Things I like most about ultras: "A race is just a race, but a friend who paces you is a friend for life." - Joseph Franko
Pushing the limits, a sense of achieving impossible, hanging out with friends
People that I met while doing ultras are the most wonderful and the friends I've made are the most true. That's not to mention that places I visited for races leave memories for life.

Things I hate most about ultras: huh?
That my family doesn't understand it

What got me started doing ultras: feeling great after first marathon and meeting a friend who just finished VT100 and got accepted into WS100 - the movie drew my undivided attention

Why I do ultras: not sure, it's a bug that doesn't go away, see "what I like about ultras"

Where I found out about the list: run100s.com

Short-term ultra goal: come back after injury (tear in hamstring in July) and do well
Long-term ultra goal: keep running and enjoying it even if slowing down to the point of pushing cut offs every time

Fantasy ultra goal: run all the races on the list:)

Favorite ultra quote(s):
"The most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle.
The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."
- Pierre de Courbertin
When I come back from a race, no matter what the final result was, the most important thing for me is to look back and honestly say myself - I gave it all I had that day.

p.s. I got the most beautiful and sofisticated stationary bike as a present I've ever seen! Just perfect for the dark hours upon us and my self-imposed resting mode! The best part - it was a total surprise!

p.p.s. to Rob: I never planned to post my bio to the list, I liked been a lurker, and if I ever respond to a post, I do it privately. Recently a couple of things ticked me off: bashing a kid who DNF'd at his first 100 from veterans and quietness about Scott Jurek while spending a ton of time discussing Dean (who I don't care for, but enough is enough!). Too many people use the list as their private chat club, I don't want to participate. But since I did respond, I felt I had to introduce myself. And hey, I didn't know you were such a good boy posting your resume (that needs to be updated, by the way)!